The American Dream thrives in 1912 New York City Annie Wood, the housemaid-turned-pattern designer in The Pattern Artist, jumps at the chance to design her own clothing line when a wealthy New York couple offers to finance her endeavor. Joining the project is Annie’s new husband, Sean Culver, her best friend at Butterick, Maude Nascato, and a mother figure, Edna Holmquist. Annie and her … Holmquist.
Annie and her colleagues give up their careers, risking everything to follow a shared passion: clothes that are both fashionable and functional for modern, busy women in 1912.
Personal and financial setbacks test old relationships and new romances while threatening to keep the business from ever selling a single dress. No one said it would be easy. But the promise of the American Dream holds a deep hope for those who work hard, trust God, and never give up.
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Was a really good read. Facts were on target! Was nice seeing how God helps each person and true friendships are so needed by all.
It makes you want to follow your dream.
I love books about the early 20th Century. I enjoy the faith that is exhibited in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were charming and real, the story was interesting, and the love of God was evident.
Good read and somewhat unpredictable with new characters but still faith filled.
The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser
First time redading this author and can’t wait to read more.
I am a fashion designer, published also so this book really appealed to me. So happy that the explicit details of dress making is included in with the story line.
Starts out with Annie and her friends, some have left other companies and they are going to start up their own business, Annie will deisgn the dresses that normal regular woman can wear.
There are many fall backs as things just don’t go as planned. She never gives up and prays to God a lot and she knows he will send help. in his own way.
It’s easy to keep the women straight and we learn about their past. Such a fascinating read, wish I had read the prior book about Annie first-will still be a good read.
So many historical events take place during this book also, valuable to the story and outcome. Love the parade-priceless! History of Lane Byrant was a big hit to read about!
Love how it all ends when things were so dismal at times. It’s a wonder how they struggled or suvive, and suvive and flouish they did.
There is so much to this book: travel, adventure, mystery of robberies, romance, dress making, opinions from all angles of characters.
This book had great information about the era and also included primary resources used by the author. Showed reliance on God and was clean! I really enjoyed the story and will probably re-read it later. It proved romance doesn’t have to include illicit sex.
As The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser starts, changes in society were great or were imminent. Women were tired of sitting at home, unable to do more than silently support their men. They wanted the right to be included in the working force, and also the right to vote. They wanted a new sense of purpose.
In this sequel to the Pattern Artist, Annie and Sean are now married, and Annie, Maude, and Edna have a big purpose-to start a fashion company for the average working woman… or so they think…
I enjoyed seeing how humans planned, but God Himself came to the rescue time after time. I liked that when one person would get discouraged, another would pick up the mantle of encourager. It was interesting to see how one person of faith and vision could influence so many others. Annie succeeded because she trusted in God and she well understood her mission. “We’re offering our customers more than just a dress,” Annie said. “We’re offering them the chance to embrace their choice to be a modern woman.”
At times the book had a “Grace Livingston Hill” feel to it, as there were so many singles starting out who rather quickly found God’s choice of partner. I would have preferred a few less main circle characters and storylines, and a little more fleshing out of the forerunners.
Bottom line: while this was not one of the fastest books I’ve read, it was great for gaining insight into the mindset of the American woman in the early 1900’s. I recommend this book. It can stand alone.
I gratefully received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions. I was not required to leave a positive review.
I very much enjoyed The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser. As someone who comes from a family of seamstresses, I was fascinated by the historical development of women’s fashions, including ready made dresses for the “unruffled” woman, and Butterick patterns. I was especially intrigued by the bit of history of Lane Bryant as shared by the author. Were you aware that Lane Bryant originally started as a maternity wear shop?
It must have been quite a struggle for women of the working classes to find suitable garments for work. Other than while blouses and black skirts, there was not much else. Could you imagine sitting in an office, trying to type, while wearing a corset, and worse a bustle?
Nancy Moser crafted a fantastic read about a group of women who leave their employment; families, and even their country to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The struggle for supporters, monetary and otherwise, was quite interesting. Remember, this store was the first of its kind to sell ready to wear made dresses.
I hope you will read this book. Now, if someone could just point me in the direction of ready to wear dresses for $5-$7…
Everything in life brings regrets. I totally regret eating that last piece of Parmesan chicken bites just now, I went from satisfied to oh my gravy now I’m overfull. But coffee ice cream later right? That’s this book for me. The one too many bites of chicken? That I picked up this book not realizing it was second in a series until it was too late to go back and read book one. The coffee ice cream? That it was OK. That I still ‘got’ the story and the characters and loved it all. OK, maybe loved is too strong a word but I got it. I didn’t need book one as the story wove in the need to know information seamlessly without feeling like I was being pushed. I’m sure there are things that I missed out on and I fully intend to go back and read book one, but this story provided all the bones I needed I truly enjoy this book and understand the backstory.
One thing really burned my buttons though. The Titanic. I get it, apparently there was a thing that kept them from boarding the ship they had tickets to ride. I get it, they were lucky to be alive. I get it. And I was told about it like every day of their lives. Over. And. Over. And. Over. Titanic. OK, done ranting, perhaps. . .maybe. . .for now. I need to mention that this is not your typical uplifting feel-good book as most Christian Fiction is. I mean it has those elements but there is also domestic violence, sexual assault, and family conflict. Women were chattel, property; with no rights and no opportunities. Until they made their own. I mean it does have a strong thread of faith and overcoming and nothing is overt nor graphic but it was there. And with faith and love and patience and understanding and a whole lot of gumption these friends overcame a lot. They had some help along the way and they came together stronger for it.
These friends bring so much to the table and they do it so well. I keep going back to faith and patience and overcoming but it was there. They had a dream, they found a way to make the dream happen, they hit setbacks and lost funding and they still dreamed. And they found a way to make that dream happen. They dealt with their past hurts and their future anxiety. They found their voice in a time when they weren’t allowed a voice. They reconnected with old friends and family and cleared up misunderstandings. They lived and breathed and changed their history and their future. People just like them changed our history and our futures. This book brought me so much depth. Yes there were hard topics that were lived through. Topics that for some people, unfortunately, make this book something they aren’t ready to read. But there is also redemption and healing. And the Titanic. And coffee ice cream.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
This is a wonderful book set in 1912 New York that centers around a group of close friends who have decided to venture into business together. Each member of the group brings a special talent to the table as they dream of making ready to wear dresses that are affordable to the average working woman. It is a wonderful adventure as they place their faith in God and work together to make their dream a reality. This is a very inspirational story filled with love and a bit of romance along the way.
The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser is the second book in a series about a group of women who are involved in changes in women’s fashions around 1912. The first book is The Pattern Artist. It would be best to read The Pattern Artist first as The Fashion Designer builds on the people and relationships of the first book.
I would recommend this book for those interested in sewing and early 20th Century fashion. Have you wondered about the beginnings of such fashion brands as Lane Bryant? Or how women went from custom made dresses to off-the-rack or ready to wear clothes? How did the first pattern companies come about?
The Fashion Designer follows Annie Culver and her friends as they try to realize their dream to bring clothes of ease and comfort to the average woman. Through their quest to open a dress shop, their faith is tested. But God is shown as an integral part of their lives. They rely on prayer and seek the best God has for them in their endeavors and in their personal relationships.
I liked how Nancy used the facts about Lane Bryant to further the story. She even uses the suffragette movement and the presidential electon to great advantage.
This was an interesting read for me because I love history and I have been sewing for many years.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Will their hard work succeed or fall apart?
I wanted to read The Pattern Artist because it featured characters working for the pattern company, Butterick. I wanted to read The Fashion Designer because I had really liked the first book and I really wanted to know if the little group of friends had succeeded in their new business.
I have to admit that I did have a bit of a hard time at first. There were several points of view and they sometimes changed so rapidly that it was a little difficult to follow at times. Once I got into the rhythm of things it was a lot easier and I enjoyed the story.
It was kind of fun watching the characters, who have quickly become like friends, as they struggle to get their fledgling business off the ground. They face a lot of ups and downs, and unexpected romance, but through it each of them learn to rely even more the only One who will see them through everything that life can throw their way.
The Fashion Designer was only the second book that I’ve read by author Nancy Moser and I’m both curious and kind of hoping that she might continue on into the next chapter of their endeavor.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.)
I very much enjoyed this fascinating novel, second in The Pattern Artist series. Crafted with elegance and simplicity, this compelling read continues a tour of the fashion industry in the early 20th century. The next prayerful step for Annie and her friends Maude and Edna, who have been successful in working with patterns, fabric, and designs, is their own business. Annie, her husband and her friends rely on the Lord, praying and waiting for answers before making moves in their partnership. One thing they come to understand is that God has a plan long before they know what their needs would be.
Annie is originally from England, and came to America as a servant. When she and two friends chose to look for a better life, they ran away from the family they served, ending up flat broke in New York after being robbed. They work for the Tuttle’s at their bakery, and we get to revisit this beautiful family. She went on to work at Macy’s, then Butterick, both highly respected companies in the US and Europe. Annie’s husband Sean still works for Butterick.
The three friends are preparing fashions that can be made to buy “off the rack” at a store, in various sizes and styles. They design clothing for working women at prices they could afford. Their financial backer changes her mind on what she wants them to make. She plans a high-society fashion show at her elegant home to show them what she wants to be exquisite designs for the wealthy, and is stunned when she sees everyday women modeling stylish, yet everyday fashions. They parted ways after the fashion show with no orders. And in urgent need of funds to continue in the direction they believe the Lord would have them go. Because one day would arrive when they believed they would have the store named Unruffled. Fashion for the Unruffled, Unveiled, Unstoppable Woman.
I was captivated by how the ladies, and Sean, sought the Lord’s direction! This novel was impossible to put down from the beginning, especially since eagerly awaiting this sequel to the first. Not only do we catch glimpses of Macy’s and Butterick, but we also meet the founder of Lane Bryant and learn how her business began. Sean’s mother, very supportive of their business, came to help with the production of dresses at no small cost to her marriage. We meet Henrietta Kidd, from England, whose parents Annie had worked for, who ventured across the ocean on her own to find Annie. And rock back and forth with the waves of changes of history and their lives. The characters are stunning, and the novel even more so. I highly recommend The Fashion Designer! It can be read as a standalone, but I’m not sure you want to miss The Pattern Maker. Both are excellent reads for every season of a woman’s life, including young or new adults to the nonagenarian on your shopping list.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This novel was a shear delight to read! I had previously read and reviewed The Pattern Artist, and it was great too. This book picked up where it left off, although it had a conclusion. You are easily able to read this second one without having read the first. The author fills in what is needed to not get the reader confused.
The characters to me were so real and so human, not cardboard cutouts as they seem in some novels. They had flaws but they also looked to God for answers to their situations and problems. Faith was brought out many times but was ignored at times by some also.
One of the interesting themes seemed to be finding a real purpose for their lives. Not the everyday, same ole, same ole. Henrietta, an English aristocrat, came all the way across the ocean to hunt for her purpose, inspired by Annie and her ambition and dreams. Obstacle after obstacle kept halting their progress of a dream selling dresses to everyday women, but they persevered and fought through them all.
It took several women who became friends, each with a different talent, to fulfill the realization of such a store with off the rack dresses. How it was all brought about is a trip full of tears, hard work, problems, but mostly love.
Interesting to me was how the author wrote in real history among the pages. The year was 1912 and some of the characters had tickets to board the Titanic but missed the boat because they were trying to help a lost child find his mother. The presidential race for that year was also brought up and how women were not allowed to vote. Most distressing to me was the fact that the law allowed a husband to take over his wife’s finances when they married and she could no longer have access to her inheritance unless the husband allowed it. We’ve come a long way baby!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
I love stories that intertwine somehow—after spending hours inhabiting the worlds of characters I enjoy, I am reluctant to leave them. Such was the case with The Pattern Artist, so when the opportunity arose to read this sequel, I could not wait to get a copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this continuation and recommend it highly!
While I am not very familiar with the early 1900s, I didn’t feel lost with the setting. Moser does a good job incorporating enough details that I feel like I learned something without becoming overwhelmed. That is something, considering this novel incorporates fashion, business, living conditions, architecture, décor, and many other things that give texture and depth to the world the characters inhabit, including things like washing hair no more than every 3-4 weeks. Makes me glad to live when and where I can just turn a knob and wash my hair whenever I want to!
I could relate to Annie and her tendency to worry. The immense pressures weighing on her with so many people depending on her success and her full plate of obligations would have been a heavy burden. The other characters continually point her to depend on God to carry them all through; that was both encouraging and convicting. And while some readers may see God coming through as a convenient way for a writer to escape a problem, believers will likely see it as evidence of God’s work in each and every situation, reminding them of ways He has shown up in their own lives, at least that was the case for me.
And through it all is love: friends and family are a big part of the storyline, how their lives intertwine and fuse, how couples come to know each other and blend their lives, forming more family connections and increasing the love for everyone around them. There are several romances we follow in these pages, each a beautiful picture of different stages of love and life.
This is a fantastic book for historical romance fans, and those with an interest in sewing or fashion will enjoy it even more. While the story can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the earlier book first; it gives added depth to the characters and plot to know what has come before. Actually, this series also loosely ties into The Manor House Series, so I know I will be heading back to read those three books since I have enjoyed this one so much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
I truly enjoyed this new book by Nancy Moser that offers the early history of the fashion industry and even features a glimpse of the Lane Bryant fashion business. “The Fashion Designer” is a sequel to “The Pattern Artist” and it continues the story of Annie Wood, her new husband Sean Culver, her best friend Maude Nascato, and another friend Edna Holmquist. I haven’t read the first book but I didn’t feel lost because “The Fashion Designer” has numerous references to the previous story. In this book Annie and Sean are about to become parents and there is also the dilemna of finding the funds to finance Annie’s dream of designing clothing for the working woman. Sean’s mother would like to use her inheritance to help but her husband has full control of her money and he doesn’t consider it a worthy investment. The setting is New York in 1912 and this was the time when women still wore corsets, “expectant women” were limited in their choice of maternity wear and no woman was allowed to vote! We’ve come a long way baby!
The Fashion Designer touches on the topics of emotional abuse and rape but they are handled in a discreet manner. Mr. and Mrs. Culver separate, Maude fears the possibility of being unable to conceive and decides that she can never have a husband and Annie experiences moments of doubt. I appreciate that during these times of stress and conflict these characters display their reliance on God and their faith in the power of prayer. Through it all these friends offer each other hope and encouragement.
I recommend “The Fashion Designer” to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction and Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
The Fashion Designer held my attention with a story of female entrepreneurs in the early 1900s! Annie is the leading protagonist but there are many interesting secondary characters. You will learn about life in New York city during that time period. I recommend this well-written book to others. I received a complimentary e-book from Barbour. This is my honest opinion.
“Life is a grand puzzle, with pieces interlocking, pieces elusive, pieces missing. But in the end, God puts it all together and we see the full picture.” (Sean Culver)~pg 210
I was so glad I was able to read The Pattern Artist and go right into The Fashion Designer! It was like picking off where I left off and continuing a story I very much enjoyed. I knew the characters and their history, which connected me to them even deeper. This picks up after our main characters Annie, Maude and Edna start off on a new venture designing their own dresses with the backup of the Samsons, who fund their dreams. They soon learn those dreams come with hard work, lots of faith and a few missteps. Just like that puzzle Sean Culver is talking about, God places each piece where they need to be to build a complete picture.
I especially loved watching the character growth in Maude as the story progressed. I will admit I didn’t really like her, but this book gives more of her backstory and past life that came to light. It helped me understand how it shaped her over the years and why she built a wall around her heart. I can also relate a lot to her struggles with God and seeing how He can bring about good when something terrible happens. When her heart does begin to soften to Him again, she starts to feel peace and assurance of His love and that He does have a good plan for her life no matter the circumstances she’s facing.
I loved watching the journey of Annie, Maude, Edna, Sean and a few new characters in this heartfelt story. Learning about fashion in the early 1900’s was fascinating and how it revolutionized with more women entering the work world. The author gives a bit of history at the end of the book; don’t miss reading it for yourself! Lastly, I loved the strong faith theme, each reminder speaking right to my own heart. It’s why I love Christian fiction so much!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.*
What a great sequel to the Pattern Artist. I recommend reading Book I first to get the background on returning characters, but it would stand-alone as Ms. Moser does some recap within the story. I love all the history of the fashion industry including pictures of some dresses at the end. It was a time of change not just in simpler fashion styles, but in women becoming free to march for the right to vote. I enjoy how the characters stretch and grow emotionally and spiritually. These women are risk takers and if their male counterpart doesn’t support them….well read to find out. This story takes many twists and turns and has multiple characters but is not confusing as everything flows together in harmony. I hope there is a third book in this series as I don’t want to let these characters go.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.